Friday, May 22, 2015

But the six defendants in the so-called rogue cops case are getting a parade down Broad Street.

So says James J. Binns, now in his tenth year as president and CEO of the Hero Thrill Show. It's an annual event that raises money for college scholarships to benefit the sons and daughters of police officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty.

On Saturday Oct. 10, former Officers Thomas Liciardello, Brian Reynolds, Michael Spicer, Perry Betts, Linwood Norman and John Speiser will be grand marshals of the 61st annual Hero Thrill Show, Binns said. The parade will begin at 11 a.m. at City Hall. The six former narcotics cops and their families will ride in six white Bentley convertibles in a "Heroes Parade" down Broad Street.

The parade ends at the Wells Fargo Center, where the thrill show will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Last year's event attracted 50,000 people. This year, Binns hopes to triple that number.

Binns was the defense lawyer for Michael Spicer, the only one of the defendants to take the stand. After a seven-week trial, the six former members of the Narcotics Field Unit were found not guilty on all 47 charges contained in a 26-count federal RICO indictment.

"These heroes have been vilified in the press and it's time that they were recognized as the heroes they are, Binns said. Asked if he expects any blowback over elevating a bunch of guys denounced by the police commissioner, the mayor and the U.S. Attorney, Binns responded, "I don't see how any reasonable fair-minded individual could have the slightest doubt about their innocence if you were there and heard the testimony."

Police Commissioner Ramsey might not be there at the parade to cheer on his former narcotics officers. Ramsey, who fired the six officers after they were indicted last year, has said they'll have to go to arbitration to get their jobs back.

The former cops are still defendants in some 80 civil rights lawsuits filed against the city. In what amounted to a holiday for drug dealers, more than 400 arrests by the defendants were thrown out of court. But Binns doesn't seem too worried about any negative fallout from cheering on the former narcs.

In an email today to 150 motorcycle cops in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware that he rides with at charity events, Binns talked about the ordeal the six former narcotics officers have been through:

"They persevered through an 8-year investigation, 5:30 a.m. arrests at gunpoint with AR-15 rifles pointed at their heads, incredible humiliation of their wives and children INSIDE THEIR HOMES [they all worked 2 blocks away from the Federal Building and didn't wear weapons], 10 days of pre-bail incarceration in solitary confinement [8 months in the case of Officer Liciardello, who was denied bail], 8 months of house arrest with ankle bracelets and 7 weeks of trial."

"They, like you, are Heroes who form the Thin Blue Line," Binns wrote the motorcycle cops. "They, like you, are whom Our Lord spoke about at the Sermon on the Mount where he discussed the Seventh of the Eight Beatitudes upon which he built His Church. He told the assembled multitudes: 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.' Be safe out there! Jimmy Binns."

In his email to the motorcycle cops, Binns included an email from Lt. Robert Otto, a supervisor of the Narcotics Field Unit who was a witness during the trial. Otto sent the email to Binns and five other defense lawyers in the case.

"I know that Joe [Sgt. Joseph McCloskey] and I were not on trial and in jeopardy of losing our freedom for crimes we did not commit," Otto wrote, "but we anguished with these men and their families for a very long time."

"While I know you guys are the best at what you do and you all worked tirelessly to ensure these innocent men were set free, I also believe that divine intervention guided you all in the form of the Blessed Mother and God's will."

"I cannot and will not ever forget what you have done for these men and their families," Otto wrote. "As I know they are, so am I forever indebted to you. I am still very emotional over this . . . Their families also deserve much thanks and credit for being so strong throughout this ordeal."

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comments:

Heroes dont steal and have pizza parties in your house two hours before search warrant is even signed.I have the pizza order receipt that has the officers phone number with time on it.The search warrant is signed two hours after the time on pizza receipt.Im 100% sure that the dealers on the stand were guilty.And were not believable.And Walker makes it hard to believe him also.But these guys were dirty.And I'm not some illiterate drunk or druggie making stupid accusations.I smoke pot.Big friggin deal.atleast 3out of 5 people smoke or smoked pot.so relax on the hero bull.In my eyes every officer who puts on the uniform is a hero to millions of people why not a hero parade for the rest of the police force and fire department.These 6 must be special heroes in your eyes.Its seems funny to have a parade just for them...

Youre absolutely 100% correct when it comes to these pieces of shit pigs! The dealers are all guilty and also rats! But Tom and his shakedown crack-crew are nothing but scumbag lowlife pigs who took advantage of their power and also lied under oath! They're not better then the people they arrested, matter of fact, they're actually worse than them! Tom has something coming to him! I'm no junkie or rat, but what I do know is that Tom is not innocent and def nowhere near a "HERO". Binns is losing his mind, he sounds like an old man who is clearly losing his mind! Makes me sick in my stomach that these scumbags are being called "HEROS". What a disgrace!!

I am still trying to figure out how a pizza receipt with a phone number on it makes them guilty. As a drug dealer, you should be aware that police officers are allowed to be inside your home without a search warrant. They are also free to order pizza or Chinese or whatever the hell they are in the mood for. They worked 18 hour days so it's only natural that they would get hungry whike waiting for a search warrant. If they were doing anything illegal, they wouldnt wven care to stay in your house and ordered food. They would have came in, stole what they wanted and left. So I know you feel your "rights" were violated but you don't have any idea what your rights even are.

No they wouldn't have eaten at the dead beat dads house, he used buckets instead of the bathroom because he didn't have running water in his house, but he had thousands and thousands of dollars in his suit pockets LMAO. Riiiight!These men deserve to be celebrated even before all of this happened to them, however THIS is a GREAT idea Mr. Binns! Will defiantly be there to show my respect to these 6 officers !

The 6 cops were found not guility. Ppl got to remember tom l was locked up in the hole for over 9 months n the other 5 spent over a week in jail in the hole with other inmates and some guards berating them n having their safety threaten. Jail is no joke esp for cops, child molestor or rapist. If i was these 6 cops thanks but no thanks to being grand marshal. I want my job back after the summer n go on with my life n getting it back to normal but who has a normal life or family.

Joe Merlino vs Tommy Lic the tale of the tape: both 5'4"", Italian, grew up in s philly, stole off of ppl, welch on their bets, allege both drug user, bullies with ppl behind them, their wives are too tall for them n too good looking, both beat federal conviction which would have ended their freedom, both will be in trouble again and they should have jockeys at the horse track. Mcmahon save tom l n jacobs saved merlino. Both have spent time in special housing unit n both have guts

touch guy ? u mean tough ! smh .. Wolfie lean how to spell .... you had the 2 big black cops do the tough work while you & Tommy robbed the dope house ! Feds are coming back on you ya dirty schykill rat ..... coke head

Big bad ass hiding behind your computer!!! Keyboard Warrior, that's all you are. You have no balls at all to post your name you four eyed creep!!! Wait, what's that I hear? Is that your Mom calling you from downstairs to tell you that your hot pocket is done??? You are a little bitch, you talk smack and your afraid to post your name!!! The Streets are watching..... watching you!!!! So let's see how much of man you are..... which I know your not, and you won't post your name! I hope you get ball cancer, and you agonize the whole time!!! Creepo!!!!

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